Dreams of A Previous Life
by Berries and Cream
Summary: Shadow had always thought Amy and Maria were similar, how similar had been beyond him. ShadAmy.
1. The Return of A Stranger

_A/N: Slight altercations made to SA2 and the revival of Shadow. _

* * *

><p><em>Space Colony Ark, 6:30 am.<em>

_Maria stared through the window of the space colony ARK, placing a hand on the cool glass. She breathed a weary sigh, staring longingly at the Earth below. Maria would often wonder endlessly about life on the vibrant blue planet, today was no different. Daybreak was reaching the western hemisphere, and Maria imagined the sunrise. A fruitless image compared to the real thing._

_To say that she was somewhat envious of the people that partook Earth's daily pleasures would be an understatement. Maria longed to feel the sun's warmth on her skin, to feel cool wind whip through her hair, to know what it was like breathing fresh, unrecycled air, and in the midst of her earthly fantasy, she spoke. "Shadow. . .do you believe in reincarnation?" Maria asked, breaking the long standing silence that stood between her and the black hedgehog by her side._

_Shadow,―most commonly referred to as the Ultimate Life Form by all excluding Maria and her grandfather―glanced up at her, confused. "Rein. . .carnation?"_

_"Yes," she smiled, glad to have piqued his interest. "It's when ones soul lives a new life after death, through rebirth. I read about it in one of grandfather's books." she explained. "If I could be reborn. . ." she trailed off for a moment, exploring the possibility. "I'd want to live my new life on that planet. Healthy and strong, energetic―" Maria noticed the gradual drooping of Shadow's ears. "What's the matter, Shadow?"_

_"I don't think I have a soul." he murmured._

_She felt a pang of guilt verberate in her chest. It was either that, or the NIDS starting to act up again."Oh Shadow. . ." she frowned, but even in the still silence of the room, a smile found its way onto her lips. __Maria outstretched her arms, laying her hands out in front of him. "Shadow, give me your hands."_

_He shot her a questioningly look, but abided to her command nonetheless, his enormous, white gloved hands hovering over Maria's pale, small ones. She closed her eyes, appearing concentrated as the warmth of her fingers transferred through his own. __"There." she said, gently pulling her hands away from the hold._

_He blinked, confused._

_"I've given you a part of my soul to keep, forever."_

* * *

><p>Chapter 1: The Return of A Stranger<p>

* * *

><p>Amy Rose could recall two incidents in her life where situations have brought her out of her character.<p>

The first incident had occurred when she first met Eggman's robot, E-102 Gamma, an intricately powered machine that proved to be a greater threat than his more advanced, E-series brothers. He'd deliberately disobeyed his programmed commands from the doctor and had freed Amy and birdy from captivity. And Amy, the ever-optimistic pink hedgehog, had seen through the robot's heavy metal exterior and had found a heart, a pure, good-natured heart that powered behind his green led lights for eyes.

She'd then done something she shouldn't have. Instead of escaping the moment the bars had lifted, she'd paused, deciding to reach out to the robot. Amy had offered him friendship, sparking Gamma's disobedience. And it was his disobedience that had destroyed him.

But Gamma's destruction had been necessary. If Gamma hadn't been destroyed, then birdy would have never have found his parents, one of them being the main source of energy powering Gamma's metal shell. This is what Amy would tell herself during the late nights when guilt overtook her being.

"It's not my fault. . . It's not my fault. . . It was necessary. . . I'm sorry. . . I'm _so_ sorry." Her repeated mantra.

Amy never wanted to relive such anguish. She refused to be cause of someone's downfall, and so, to avoid such feelings of culpability, Amy had adapted into a more shallow, one-dimensional character. To be honest, it had been such a subtle altercation in character, not even Cream, one of her best and closest friends, had noticed the difference in personality. She supposed she hadn't changed much. Amy had stayed more or less the same, her bubbly yet clingy nature had remained intact, but if anyone had stopped to take a close look at her, REALLY look at her, then maybe, just maybe, they'd notice one of the more notable adjustments made to Amy's character.

Amy Rose had stopped caring.

Well, to say that she'd stopped caring would be a bit of a stretch. She still cared for Sonic and Cream, Tails and Knuckles, The Chaotix, even Rouge once she looked past their petty rivalry. Amy Rose still cared, but you could say she didn't let herself get too attached to anyone. Looking at Amy's desperate cling to Sonic, one might disapprove of the notion, but appearances were deceiving.

Amy limited her emotional bonds with others. She would never dig too deep into others true thoughts and feelings, especially not her own. Never again would she pry into the lives of others, never would she look into the eyes of a tortured soul and see the goodness hidden behind the pain and agony of life that had beaten a poor, little thing into the villain that stood before her.

But then came Shadow the Hedgehog.

There had been something about him that Amy thought was almost _familiar_, somehow. Excluding the time Amy had mistaken the black hedgehog for her beloved Sonic, she could have sworn she recognised that piercing, crimson stare. As if his gaze had met with hers many times before.

The months of living under a shallow light had turned off, bringing Amy out in her falsities to shine in her own, true light. And when the world had needed Shadow most, Amy had worked up the courage, reminding him about the goodness of Earth and of the people that lived on it.

_"Shadow, I beg you, please do it for them. Give them a chance."_

Her words had sparked Shadow's memory of Maria and the revelation of his promise to her.

And overwhelmed with emotion, Amy had witnessed a tear run down the cheek of the once stoic hedgehog.

He soon ran off, telling Amy that he had to go and keep his promise to Maria. . .and her. Amy wouldn't lie, she'd been flattered by his words, but as she watched him leave the base of the ARK, she couldn't help but wonder if the decision she'd made had been the right one. The earth would be saved, Eggman's plans for world domination, foiled, peace would settle once more, but at what cost?

At the cost of Shadow the Hedgehog, that's what.

The others had met at base, using radio signals to communicate with the super-formed hedgehogs, all showing their support, recognising the risks Sonic and Shadow were taking in order to save the Earth. However, once the mike had been given to Amy, all hope seemed lost as time _was_ of the essence.

_"Can you both hear me? The ARK is close to the Earth. Please hurry up!" _

Those had been her last words to Shadow; she just hadn't known it yet.

Amy quickly abandoned her mike, nearing the window of the ARK, watching as a small golden speck's hold onto the ARK had loosened for just a fraction of a second. It floated through the pitch blackness of space before it was caught in the Earth's atmosphere, falling, falling, falling, until the bright gold of Super Shadow faded into nothing.

_"M. . .Maria. . ."_

The name rung in the blankness of her mind.

**OoOoOoO**

Amy had maintained her cheeriness during the aftermath of the battle, letting a smile plaster her face all throughout her ride home. However, that night, as she returned home to the darkness of her own apartment, Amy had walked off into the far corner of her room, sitting herself down into a fetal position, crying the night away.

* * *

><p>Amy placed her freshly baked cake on the cooling rack, breathing a weary sigh as she shut the oven door. "Alright," she sighed, tugging at her oven mitts. "That'll have to cool for about fifteen minutes, then it's the icing." Just as Amy was about leave, the shrill ring of the telephone brought her back to her bakery-war-zone of a kitchen.<p>

She sighed once more, picking up the receiver, answering it. "Hello―"

Cream's scolding soprano could be heard from the other line. "Amy, you're late!"

"What are you talking about, I'm only. . ." She checked her watch. "Twenty minutes late!?" she said with questioned disbelief. Where had the time gone? She'd gotten up an hour earlier than usual to bake Sonic's birthday cake. It seems the failure with the previous cake had set her back after all. "Cream, I'll be there as soon as I can. Can you stall for me? Tell the others I'm stuck in traffic, or something."

"You don't even drive."

"Well, make something up!" she snapped. "Anyway, I just have to put icing on the cake and then I'll be right over."

"Remember, we're at Station Square Park."

"I know, I know. I haven't forgotten."

She hung up. She quickly walked over to the counter, leaning over her cake to prop open a window, a warm breeze whisking through the screen. Amy closed her eyes, taking a moment to submerge in the feeling of thermal wind blowing through her quills. _Ah, this is nice,_ she thought before pulling back.

She tucked a quill behind her muzzle. "Well, that should speed up the cooling process."

She headed down to her room, pulling out her signature red dress and pump boots from her closet, promptly slipping into the dress and briskly zipping up her boots before spraying herself in a rose scented perfume. She glanced at her reflection in her room mirror, nodding in approval before returning to the kitchen with a batter-stained apron.

By the time she had gotten ready, her cake had cooled, finally ready for icing. She brought out blues, whites, red and brown coloured icing, creating an almost life like image of Sonic and his oh-so-famous love of Chilli Dogs. She hummed in approval. "Sonic's going to love this!" If there was anything the blue blur would ever openly admit about liking the pink hedgehog, it was, of course, her superior baking skills.

Carefully placing the cake in a simple white bakery box, Amy left her apartment, heading out into the bustle of Station Square. It really was a beautiful day. Amy couldn't see a cloud in the sky, the sky was breathtakingly beautiful, crystal blue, the air, warm and inviting, just perfect for a day outdoors.

Amy quickened her steps, manoeuvring her way around Station Square citizens. She wanted to arrive at the party as soon as possible. There was no doubt the others had already started the party without her, and she couldn't help but feel a little disheartened by the thought. She'd wanted to be the first to arrive at the party, it was, after all, Sonic's special day.

A shadow cast itself over Station Square. Amy looked up, frowning. Had an unsuspecting cloud come to ruin this wondrous spring morning after all? She hoped not, but as she continued with her walk towards the park, she noticed quite a few of the Station citizen's travels had come to a halt, their stares all directed upwards, and Amy found that her own boots had also slowed to a cease.

Tightening her grip on her pastry box, Amy stared up towards the sky.

"What _is_ that?" she asked no one in particular.

The shadow over Station hadn't been cast by a large cloud as she originally thought. For a moment, she believed it was the magnificent, yet ominous Egg Carrier here to declare Eggman's promise of world domination, but again, she was mistaken.

It was as if a black hole had opened itself up in the sky. It sparked with green, electric bolts of light, flashing the sky with a hypnotizing, almost sinister intent. The view, capturing the eyes of all its viewers before the image dispersed, disappearing as soon as it'd appeared.

There was a moment of silence. A single moment of silence before a thundering _boom_ crashed through the city. There was an uproar made on the streets. The ground rumbled, car alarms went off, drivers sounded their horns, people cried out in awe and fear for the _thing_ that was laid out before them and pedestrians gathered round, wondering what all the commotion was all about.

It was a crater. A crater about ten meters in diameter and twenty-feet in depth, but it was not the impact of a meteor that had created the impressive basin shaped hollow, but the presence of a small, anthropomorphic being. He was laid on his back, powdered in with dirt, his pained, crimson stare directed ahead.

The cake box slipped from her grasp, crashing onto the ground.

"Sh. . .Shadow?"


	2. Avoiding Old Friends

The moment Amy uttered his name Shadow's crimson gaze had locked with her own.

He was _looking_ at her, almost expectantly.

But what exactly was it he wanted her to do? Did he expect her to just climb her way down the _gargantuan_ crater, dust him off and greet him as if all was fine? _"Welcome back, Shadow. It's nice to see you're doing well. We all thought you were dead, we mourned for you and everything! I have to wonder how you managed to survive a fall from the Earth's atmosphere, wait! Don't tell me. We can talk over tea."_ Yeah, she could _definitely_ see that happening.

But Shadow the Hedgehog had lived. _He. . .He's alive._ The thought hadn't registered until that very moment, relaxing a month long tension in her shoulders. A sense of relief washed over her, reassurance warming her to the very tips of her fingers. Her limbs felt slightly lethargic, her knees threatening to buckle under her weight, the familiar gleam of those scarlet eyes grating away her guilt.

Amy eyes searched the black and red hedgehog, inspecting every element of his being, scrutinizing him. Her eyes went bleary with solace, but her gaze unwavered. She held her ground, unfazed when a copious amount of helicopters entered the scene, shining their search lights in the brightness of the nearing afternoon. She remained in place, even when GUN agents began clearing the area, ordering Station Square citizens to 'move along' or suffer the consequences.

However, it was when Shadow's gaze shifted ever so slightly did Amy snap out of her daze, his eyes now fixated on her boots. Her own gaze lowered, curious as to what Shadow had found so interesting.

Oh.

It seems Amy had taken the slightest step forward.

And shouldn't she have done so? In the crowd of strangers, Amy was the only recognizable face among them. She reckoned she should speak, acknowledging his presence instead of proceeding with the little stare-off they had going on. She took a breath, prepared to voice his name in a more audible manner, almost fearful that doing so would destroy this illusion, this idea that Shadow was most definitely, unmistakeably alive.

"Shadow. . ." She was at a loss for words. How was Amy Rose speak to the Ultimate Life Form, this enigma of a being. "I. . ."

_"Can you both hear me? The ARK is close to the Earth. Please hurry up!"_

__"M. . .Maria. . ."__.

An image flashed in her head, a now triggered response when meeting the eyes of Shadow the Hedgehog. A picture, carved into the very core of her mind: a fading golden light, flickering into nothing.

The familiar tension in her shoulders returned. Horrified, Amy retracted her step, then, unhurriedly, backed another step away.

And another, and another, and another.

Amy was leaving, but if asked, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint the exact moment she ran, fleeing the scene, pretending she hadn't heard Shadow's response.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2: Avoiding Old Friends<p>

* * *

><p>Amy was out of breath. She was hunched over, her hands resting on her knees. Her heart beating madly in her chest, blood pumping almost painfully through her veins. There was a sharp ringing noise playing endlessly in her ears, drowning out the sound of the party and celebration.<p>

"Yo, Ames. Glad you could make it." Sonic said, distractedly. His gloved hand held onto Knuckle's face, the other holding a Chilli Dog, which he tried to force feed to him as Rouge latched onto the echidna's arm, holding him back. "Come on, Knuckles. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it." he said, making Rouge giggle as Chilli spread across his muzzle.

"Sonic―_mmph_―cut it out!"

Cream sauntered her way over her hunched form. "Amy," she whispered "Did you forget about the cake?"

Cake? Yes, while the cake was regrettably forgotten on the streets of Station Square, there were more important issues at hand. Hadn't her friends seen the electrifying black hole in the sky, the GUN choppers, the GUN agents? "I. . .sky. . .hole. . .the light. . .Station Square. . .agents. . ." She tried to speak, but found herself too out of breath to utter a single comprehensible sentence. Swallowing a lump through the thickness of her throat, she tried again. ". . .Shadow, he. . .he's back."

A deafening silence hung in the air.

Sonic's Chilli Dog fell to the ground with a sickening _plop,_ wordlessly releasing his grip on the echidna. Rouge also withdrew herself from Knuckles, exchanging looks with Sonic, who nodded in a silent agreement. They dispersed themselves from the rest of the group, heading down towards Station Square in winding flight and super sonic speed.

"What do you mean he's _back_?" Knuckles inquired, clearly not understanding her breathy announcement.

"Amy?" Tails said, his voice sounding farther away by the minute.

She attempted to respond but found herself far too fatigued. She was feeling light headed, the shrill ringing in her ears increasing in volume. White spots danced across her vision. "I. . .I can't." She was out of breath, still not used to tapping into the natural speed of the Hedgehog species, and she had yet to cope with the shock of Shadow's living status. It was no wonder she was growing faint.

Her surroundings began to dim to a dark. Unable to stand upright, or maintain her balance, Amy stumbled across the fields for a few moments before tripping over her left boot, passing out as soon as she hit the ground.

**OoOoOoO**

_Maria was sweating under her blankets, hacking painful sounding coughs. Her too pale, too small fingers, balled into a tight fist which was brought to her face as she expelled the NIDS infected air from her lungs. __She was trapped in her solitary confinement of a room with only Shadow left at her company, sitting by her bedside. __A sad sight indeed. _

_One of the scientists abroad the ARK had contracted NIDS, which had come to a as a shock to all. Despite the myths, NIDS was in fact, not contagious. __The whole facility would be set in a temporary lock down until Maria's grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, was to bring forth his decision to further proceed or cease all research._

_"What do you think Grandfather will do?"_

_He shook his head, unsure._

_Maria sighed. "I guess living on Earth really is a dream I should put behind me."_

_"Dr. Gerald has promised you would live on Earth one day, just as you wish. He has dedicated over a decade of his life, doing his best to fulfil that promise. My very existence lives to serve for that purpose."_

_"What good does that do me?" She snapped._

_His eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time he had ever heard Maria raise her voice at him. He'd often seen her scolding the son of one the scientists working aboard the ARK, the one with Heterochromian eyes, but to actually yell? Never. Shadow conjectured that it was the crippling pressures of her sickness beginning to weigh in on her decaying optimism._

_"I'm sorry, Shadow. I'm just. . .I'm running out of time," She blinked away the tears that threatened to fall. "I'm running out of time." she whispered._

**OoOoOoO**

Amy's eyes fluttered to an open, unconsciously thinking about a whip of blonde hair as she woke up groggily and confused. She was met with the painfully pink ceiling of her room and a cool, wet cloth placed over her forehead. She blinked, squinting against the criminally pink ceiling, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the brightness of the room.

How had she gotten back? She couldn't recall coming home this evening. She remembered waking up early this morning, she'd gone down to Station Square Park, and then. . .no that wasn't right, something had happened before then. Something. . .

Shadow.

She sat upright, the wet cloth falling off her forehead and onto the folds of her blanket. How could she forget? She pulled at her covers, breaking out of her blanket cocoon, bouncing off her bed, ready to leave her apartment and meet with the others. There was no doubt they were already with Shadow. Oh, she just couldn't wait to see him. There was so much she wanted to―

She paused by the knob of the door. _Amy Rose, what on Earth do you think you're doing?_ She couldn't meet Shadow. She'd already established this before. Nothing good came out of meeting ruby eyed hedgehogs. Only death and long term grievances.

The door was pushed open on the other end. Surprised, Amy stumbled a few steps back.

"Amy?" Cream asked, peering her head through the door way. "Are you alright?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. "Fine," she said smoothing out the creases in her dress. "I was just a little shocked."

She giggled. "I would think so! It's not every day a hero comes back to life. I remember hearing the news of Mr. Shadow, it was so sad." She frowned at the memory, but she soon broke out of her solemn with one of her bright smiles. "I'm glad he's back."

"Me too."

"Are you going out now? I told the others I'd stay with you until you got better. I'm sure you'd like to see Mr. Shadow. He's staying at GUN headquarters."

So they were already beginning to stake their claim on Shadow? Disgusting. "No, I'm actually not feeling too great." she answered. Cream was taken aback, her lips pursing disapprovingly, shaming Amy with her look. "But I will soon. Tomorrow." She added quickly.

"Good."

When Cream had left, Amy paced around her apartment, looking for something to preoccupy herself with, when she finally settled into the couch, deciding to watch some good ol' fashioned television.

The moment she turned the T.V with her remote, she was hit with a close up of the crater down at the heart of Station Square, immediately catching the words 'Shadow the Hedgehog' and 'Great Return' in bolded letters. Quickly flipping to the next channel, Amy found a similar Breaking News Report, news crews filming the tapered off area.

Amy turned off the T.V

"Baking." She decided. "I'll bake."

She walked over to the kitchen, pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the area. The dishes were washed, the counters spotless, and floors swept clean of flour. She would have to remember to thank Cream later.

Amy flipped through her recipe book, pausing at a strawberry muffin recipe given to her by Vanilla. The sight of the page eliciting a faint strawberry flavour on her tongue. The muffins had been surprisingly delicious. Trust Amy not to doubt the ever more superior baking skills of Vanilla, the very name of the older woman suggesting her profession.

Just as she was about prepare her ingredients, bowl and muffin tray, Amy heard a soft rapping noise. Her emerald eyes searched the kitchen, endeavouring to find the source of the noise when her orbs halted by the window. She saw the shadow of a curvaceous figure, flapping her long spiralling wings out by the cill of the windows. _Rouge_, she thought just moments before the bat revealed her fanged smirk.

Amy propped open the window. Rogue sighed in thanks, sitting by the pane. "I didn't see you today. Cream said you weren't feeling well, but I didn't think that would be enough to stop you from coming." she said in her usual thrilling jazz, but Amy could pick the slightest hint of crestfallenness in her tone.

She was disappointed in her. That was the second person today.

"I'm visiting tomorrow―"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Rabbit-girl already pleaded your case."

There was a silence. Amy shifted uncomfortably, Rouge checked for dirt under her well-manicured nails.

"He wondered where you were."

"Huh?"

"Shadow."

"Oh." Amy stared off to the side, avoiding Rouge's line of sight. "Is he doing. . .okay?"

She smiled smugly. "Looks like you'll find tomorrow." She shot her a two-fingered salute. "See ya." She winked.

Amy watching as she jumped, dipping down a few stories before she flew out into the night of the city.

She sighed as she closed the window. "She never uses the door."

* * *

><p>Amy woke up the next morning nervous and unrefreshed from sleep. She'd been up most of the night, counting down the hours until her promised meeting with Shadow. Why had she even consented herself to such an agreement? She groaned. She should have considered making up an excuse. Granted, it wouldn't seem as plausible to Rouge and Cream as it would to her, but at least she would have had an extended rest period to cope with her deep rooted fears before proceeding onwards to her fateful meeting.<p>

Perhaps if Amy had told the others the truth, the real reason why she was so emphatic in evading Shadow, maybe they would accept her reasoning.

Amy considered it for a moment before ultimately scrapping the thought. They wouldn't understand. She knew they would insist on telling her Shadow's supposed death was in fact, not her fault. Amy didn't need to hear excuses, she didn't crave for the false reassurance. Amy had moved past that long ago. All she wanted was for someone to conclusively agree with her thoughts, for someone to _understand_.

Amy slowed herself through her morning routine, trying to stall for as much time as possible, but once her teeth were brushed, her breakfast eaten, her clothes changed, all she had left to do was head out the door. She stood only a few feet away, glaring at her door indignantly, as if it had committed her a personal offence.

She turned away, inhaling softly. "I can do this. I can do this―"

There was a knock.

She almost yelped in surprise before clearing her throat."Y-yes, who is it?" Amy wasn't expecting anyone, nevertheless, she indulged in the euphoria of the unexpected visitor, at this time, a heaven sent gift to her.

She unlocked the chain, twisting the lock on her door before she opened it.

And out her doorway stood Shadow the Hedgehog, standing in all his poise and grace. His arms were crossed, a not-quite-smile-not-quite-frown practically sown onto his face. His glassy, scarlet eyes haughtily supercilious, but still sparked with the kindness Amy and her friends had witnessed during the last moments of his life.

_"Nice to see you, Rose."_  
>"Nice to see you, Rose."<p> 


	3. Kidnapping Amy Rose

In the midst of her mental preparedness, Amy hadn't expected to see the very thing she braced for.

A train of thoughts ran through her head, derailing, violently crashing through the mess of her mind.

What _was_ Shadow doing here? He wasn't supposed to be here! How did he know where she lived? Had Rouge told him? Oh, she was going to _kill_ Rouge.

Again, Amy found herself rendered speechless. Shadow had a way of doing that to her, his crimson gaze bewitched, able to silence even those that had the tendency to speak about lengthy, trivial matters. Amy's eyes had gone wide, wider than she thought physically possible, her mouth hung open dumbly as Shadow discerned her appearance, taking note of her worn boots and handbag resting by the curve of her hip.

"Oh, were you going out?" he asked, seemingly bored.

Amy spluttered a few unintelligible sentences before smartly shutting her mouth, taking a moment to collect herself.

She stepped aside to let him in. "No, not anymore." She waved him forward. "Please, come in."

Shadow nodded, accepting her invitation. Her eyes discreetly followed Shadow's ebony figure, watching as he took a leisurely walk into the sitting room, scrutinizing every bit of pink his eyes could detect. It was an interesting picture, the dark sharpness of the hedgehog was mismatched against the soft pinkness of the room. Consequently, Amy caught the slight wince in his stare, as if the colour pained him to look at.

She could feel a blush crawl up her slightly tan muzzle. Perhaps it was time for a repaint after all.

She cleared her throat. "Take a seat." She motioned to her couch and loveseat. "You can sit anywhere you'd like."

Amy strolled over to the kitchen. "I'll go make us some tea."

* * *

><p>Chapter Three: Kidnapping Amy Rose<p>

* * *

><p>Amy set the tea tray on the coffee table positioned between her and her crimson-eyed guest.<p>

She had given Shadow his cup and saucer. It sat on his thigh, steaming and untouched. Amy took her own cup, stirring two small teaspoons of sugar into her warmly scented ginger tea. She continued to stir, indeed after the sugar had long since dissolved. Her gaze was affixed to the table; the only sound heard amongst the silence was the clinking noise her spoon made against the bottom of her cup.

"Are you doing well?"

She flinched at the sound of his voice, his oh-so-familiar voice. Cool, eloquent with a blunt edge in his tone. She could listen to it for hours. After a month long grievance of woe, it was a miracle, a blessing to pick up on his unperturbed tranquillity. She almost wept in exuberance.

"Amy?"

"I'm doing great, Shadow." she said with an overwhelming cheer. A tad too much cheer, she decided, toning it down with her deep-seated sombre. She needed to get a hold of herself. She couldn't forget who was it that sat in her presence.

How _could_ she forget? Shadow the Hedgehog. The once misguided hedgehog who sought out for revenge, holding a fifty-year grudge against humanity. Anger had taken a tight hold of his heart, the emotion blinding its host. Shadow had seen the world with a tinted, distorted lens. Not many were able to free themselves from its cynical view. Shadow had, and Amy would have been proud if it hadn't cost him his life―

"How _did_ you survive?" The question was said before she even realized she was speaking.

He smirked. "Aren't you frank."

She gasped. Stupid, stupid, stupid! "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I was just―"

"It's fine." he assured. "I'd prefer straight-forwardness over a guarded attitude."

After a pause, he spoke again. "I'm not sure."

"Huh?"

"How I survived. I've developed a few theories, but it's nothing solid."

Curious, Amy inquired to hear a few of his theories.

Shadow spoke of three primary possibilities. The first consisted of his super form, Super Shadow. He believed he may have used the last bits of his power to teleport out of danger. This may have been a result of his body's emergency response mechanism.

The second possibility, judging from his incredulous scowl, was, in his eyes, considered less likely. Eggman may have played a part in saving him. How, he didn't know, and why was an even greater conundrum. Despite the fact that Eggman _did_ assist in saving the Earth, there was no denying the facts. Shadow had betrayed the Doctor, and he wasn't exactly what you'd call forgiving.

The third and final possibility was an interesting one. Amy was surprised Shadow had even shared the thought with her.

He believed it was Maria's spirit that had come to save him that fateful day.

Amy had blinked, surprised. Who would have thought Shadow, of all people, held such spiritual thoughts?

There was a guarded hope that shone in his eyes, a desired belief in the irrelevance of the two former truths. The look had vanished, had gone instantaneously, Amy questioned if it had existed in the first place.

"However, none of these possibilities explain my disappearance in the past month, or the reasons why I have no recollection of the events during that time."

Amy took a shallow breath, taking in the information. She stared into the rich velvet of her tea, the back of her mind pinging with an unnecessary thought: They really were discussing Shadow's means of survival over tea. She would have laughed at the thought, had the situation deemed the action appropriate.

Amy's hold on her cup tightened. "Look, Shadow. . ."

"I never did get to thank you."

"What?"

"For reminding me about my promise to Maria." he said. "I was a fool blinded by revenge." He looked away, almost embarrassed. "The last thing Maria would ever want was for me to carry out my vengeance, let alone destroy the one thing she held closest to her heart."

She glanced at him wearily. "Shadow, it's fine." _You shouldn't be thanking me anyway_. He had been disillusioned by her words. Amy understood now. They had only evoked his memory and sentiments of the sickly human of his past. The thought sent a chill, shivering through her spine. Had Amy. . . had she truly been so withdrawn and manipulative?

Wanting to change the subject, Amy turned to more pressing issues. "Shadow, you're not going to join GUN, are you?" Shadow wasn't stupid. Amy knew he could differentiate between hospitality and exploitation through faux ambivalence. GUN had shut down Project Shadow through militaristic force, resulting in the loss of not only the scientists aboard the ARK, but evidently concluding the massacre with the fatal shooting of Maria.

Why join such a force?

"I am."

"But. . ."

"Why join the organization I share a marred past with?" He offered with a snarl, an unhidden bitterness apparent in his tone. "I'm enlisting for my own interests."Amy raised a sceptical brow at this, waiting for Shadow to elaborate, but he was content with silence, his face bearing a fearsome glare, as if challenging her to ask for his reasoning.

Pressured, Amy tore away from his gaze, granting him his silent victory. She could only hope his decision would conclude in a favourable view, an outcome antithetical to the events of fifty years ago.

Shadow stood up, setting his empty tea cup on the tray. "Well, I think it's time for me to go now." he said before halting in his place. "But before I forget," He pulled a letter from a thin compartment in his gloved hand, passing it on to Amy. "Am I right to assume you've yet to receive a formal invitation?" Amy shook her head, about to ask the purpose of the invitation until he resumed speaking. "You as well as the others involved in the ARK incident are invited to attend the Presidential Ball held two days from today." he sighed. "Come if you'd like. Or don't. It makes little difference."

"A ball?" Her eyes glinted with an unconcealed glee._ How exciting!_ Amy promptly suppressed her elation, keeping whatever cool she had left as she cleared her throat, offering a nonchalant, "Yeah, sure. I'll come."

Her act wasn't fooling anyone. Shadow responded with a contemptuous _humph_, as Amy followed him to the door. He nodded, the closest she'd get to a goodbye, as he skated away.

"Shadow, wait!" she called after him, steering Shadow to a brake. He paused, looking over his shoulder as she spoke. "Um. . .I'm sorry for not coming to see you yesterday, and uh, sort of running away from you before." She held her arms behind her back, her olive eyes darting, a habitual response when displaying feelings of guilt.

His eyes inspected her, as if searching for an underlying truth in her words, till he broke into a small, half-smile. "It's fine, Rose. I haven't held a grudge." he assured her, relieving her doubts and expelling her lingering feelings of remorse.

Amy watched as he parted on his skates, her heart warming as she contemplated her slowly realised nickname. _Rose_. She adored it.

* * *

><p>To see Shadow wearing clothes was interesting, to say the least.<p>

He was sat on an elevated table that overlooked the ballroom, sitting in between the President and the greying Commander, his Heterochromian eyes shooting him daggers every few moments.

Amy didn't know what faults the Commander held against Shadow, but she thought of his petulant, undermining attitude as peeving and childish. His attitude striking her with the remembrance of familiar figures such as Charmy and―an image of a small, cheeky human child flashed in her memory― and _who_?

Amy dispelled her momentary nostalgia, observing Shadow. He was dressed in a pristine, grey suit, tailored to perfectly fit his frame. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his signature scowl ingrained into his angled eyes as he picked at a loose thread found at his cuff.

It hadn't taken Amy a prolonged period of time to fathom his reasoning, attending a ball he was so evidently keen in avoiding. The Chaos Emerald. Tails, salvaging the near wreck of Station Square from Eggman's missile plans all those months ago, had been gifted with the aureolin emerald. The same gift was to be presented to Shadow for his heroic deeds abroad the ARK.

Shadow had grimaced―his attempt at a smile―as pictures were taken, the President bestowing him with the gem.

His discomfort amused Amy, such a bothered expression she never expected to see conveyed through his features. She let out a snort, believing the sound would lose its way into the celebratory atmosphere of the crowd, nevertheless, her actions regularly found ways to stab her in the back.

Shadow's ear had twitched, picking up on the sound of her peppered laughter.

He shot her a withering look, the look forcing her to bite back her snicker.

She was quick to turn away, peering down at the hem of her dress.

Amy had encompassed travel outside the debacle of Station Square, purchasing a beautiful emerald green, column dress. The rich colour of the fabric splendidly complementing her eyes. Amy had curled the ends of her quills just hours prior to her leave, even exerting the effort of applying a tinted pink lip gloss across her thin, near non-existent lips.

She felt a tug at her sleeve. She directed her attention towards Rouge who stared at her with a masked concern. "When you're finished ogling yourself, you might want to take notice of big-blue."

Amy searched the ballroom, easily spotting Sonic amongst the crowd of humans. He wore a wide grin, standing by the slim figure of a lavender feline. She held a balletic posture matched with a poignant expression. Her arms were crossed gracefully, seemingly indifferent to Sonic who appeared to be_ chatting her up_? _Argh_, she couldn't believe this. After all the time and effort she'd taken to look good for tonight, in hopes of Sonic noticing her, maybe even hinting at a compliment.

She sat back in her chair, fingers quietly drumming on the cloth of her table. Perhaps this was a play of hard-to-get?

Shrouding in the illusion, Amy waved her hand dismissively. "No worries. Sonic'll hit on girls every now and then, but it's nothing _I_ should be worried about. His first love is the wind after all."_ It is for now, anyway._ "But he's crazy if he thinks he can get away from Amy Rose."

"Confident, aren't you."

"I have to be." She stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to claim what's mine."

Amy marched down the ballroom; bearing a great, yet disquiet feeling of apprehension as she stalked her way over to the ill-suited pair. Sonic had taken an elongated juncture to cognize her approaching figure, winding Amy's direction only when the golden-eyed female had shifted her gaze towards her.

"A-Amy, what are you doing here? I thought you were with Rouge."

She beamed. "I was, but hearing her complain about Knuckles putting the Master Emerald over her―_again―_can get pretty old, fast." This was true. Knuckles currently dwelled up in Angel Island, tightly guarding the priceless jewel after its most recent restoration. He had spoken with Rouge, expressing his distaste for, what he thought were ludicrous gatherings for its equally prudish guests. His response enraged Rouge, however Amy suspected her acrimony was more of a shield―a mask to conceal her hurt. Knuckles could be such an idiot sometimes. "Come on, lets dance."

"Uh, I'm sort of talking to Blaze over here."

Amy turned to the feline―_Blaze_, with a fake smile. "You don't mind, right?"

"Amy―"

"It's fine." _Blaze_ interrupted. "I've enjoyed conversing with you, Sonic the Hedgehog." She presented him with a small bow, briskly walking back to her table where a white-furred hedgehog greeted her.

"Amy, you were being rude."

"Was I?" She certainly didn't think so. "I guess I should apologize." she announced half-heartedly. "But lets dance first." She forcibly dragged the ostensibly reluctant hero to the dance floor, rebuffing his murmurs of protest. She stood, waiting restlessly for the musicians to finish the current piece played on the orchestral instruments, lingering out of the viewing crowd, humming in anticipation with Sonic in tow.

She listened as the music slowly begun to fade, quieting to a cease.

The next piece that played was a slower, more romantic tune. "Come on!" she piped excitedly.

"You know, I was never one for dancing―"

She hauled Sonic down to the very centre of the dance floor, drawing his body closer to hers. She nuzzled into the crook of his neck, ignoring the immediate stiffness in his movement, catching a whiff of his scent; warm grass and cool autumn breeze. She pulled her head back, her heart palpating as she neared their distance, her eyes attempting to lock with Sonic's nervously darting ones.

_He's so cute when he's shy_, she thought coyly.

This ought to have been their closest, most intimate moment in the history of their relationship.

So of course, the lights had to go out right then and there.

The warm celebratory atmosphere instantly cooled into a panicked worry, the insidious concern prevailing despite projected announcements calling for order and placidity. The attitude received couldn't have been any more disparate. A vibration could be felt through the floors of the ballroom, a soft mechanical hum heard through the walls.

"_Muwahahahahha._"

_Oh, you have got to be kidding me._

Crashing through the doors, in came the doctor himself, sat back in the seat of the Eggwalker. A laser cannon loaded and ready to fire at its unsuspecting victims. Its target laser pointedly searching through the crowd, guests ducking their heads in fear.

"I require one thing, and one thing only." Eggman boomed through his maniacal grin. "The Chaos Emerald."

Shadow took hold of his gifted jewel. "I don't think so, Doctor."

Sonic pulled away from Amy, a customary, adventurous smirk animating his expression. He flicked his nose aside with his thumb, huffing a laugh. "Shadow, leave Eggman to me." He leaned forward, a sharp wind blowing through Amy's quills, a blue streak of light left in his path.

He attacked the walker. Eggman's lasers unsparing, hitting all corners of the ballroom, dangering the guests.

She sighed. "I guess it's my turn now." Amy summoned her Piko-Piko hammer, hauling the mallet backwards as she dashed for the walls. As she approached a nearing wall, she swung her hammer forward, an echoing vibration spreading throughout its corners. Cracks marred the wall, crumbling the cement and hardened material into dust, creating a makeshift emergency exit that connected to the outer halls.

"Over here, people!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The ballroom was cleared instantaneously, a desperate push and shove seen amongst the crowd, leaving the area hauntingly desolate with little to no casualties left in its wake. Shadow remained the only soul still seated in his chair, holding tightly to the Chaos Emerald, otherwise appearing aloof to the battle. Tails's thickly furred two-tails spun swiftly, Rouge's wings flapping with ease, both flight creatures were flown overhead the walker. Amy was held back, her hammer held tightly in her arms.

"Persistent blue rodent," Eggman snarled. "Get out of my way!" He fired more of his lasers, at a quicker, targeted rate, but Sonic, the rightly nick named blue blur, was too fast for them. He dodged the beams, homing in on the walker, damaging the machinery with every blow.

"Shadow, look out!" Amy yelled. Sonic had evaded another shot, a beam heading his rival's way.

Shadow angled his head sideways, the treacherous beam eluding him by mere centimetres, instead setting the silk curtain behind him ablaze, leaving a searing, burnt-out hole in the fabric.

"Sonic, be careful!" scolded Tails.

The azure streak faded into nothingness, Sonic poising upright, atop the walker, shooting Tails a look of conciliation. "Sorry, 'lil buddy." His foot tapped against the hood of the weakening metal. "I'm almost done here." He curled into a ball, an atmospheric, luminous blue glow enveloping the hedgehog in its faintness as Sonic charged up for his final, most destructive move; the light speed attack.

The fight was over before she knew it. As always, Eggman initiated his own means of escape, taking off in a miniature helicopter implemented within the walker. Flighting through Amy's temporary escape exit, she caught a victorious grin hidden behind his wiry, luxuriant moustache. She silently questioned his smug look just as she caught Tails' golden emerald smothered in between his side and armpit.

She pursued the doctor, hounding his trail. "Sonic! He's got―"

Eggman issued her a perilling glare through his tinted spectacles. "Shut up, girl." his hushed menace freezing her in place.

_S-Sonic._

**OoOoOoO**

_Maria could hardly suppress her grin of awe, her smile hidden behind her worn mask, but her eyes, so open and honest, couldn't hide her feelings of daunt and wonderment. Her gaze, fixated on the newborn baby held in her arms, retained a sort of admiration for this new, healthy life. "He's beautiful." she mused, turning towards her grandfather. "What's his name?"_

_"Ivo." he said. "Ivo Robotnik."_

_**OoOoOoO**_


	4. Choose, Sonic the Hedgehog

Amy was beginning to tire of the abduction affairs with the Doctor; the constant kidnappings once leaving her frightened with a heavy sense of trepidation. Now, mellow to such capture, she could only feel vexed and irritated.

She was left in the familiarly dingy cell of the Egg Carrier, the smell of warming metal and engine oil barricading her nose. A metal bind was used to constraint her upper-half, restricting her movement, therefore averting Amy from compromising the stance necessary to summon her hammer. Believe it or not, Amy had strengthened her wield of the hammer, the enchanted weapon now able to break through even the toughest of metals.

The Doctor was always one step ahead of her, it seems. _Always_. Since the beginning of her orange tutu days. He was determined to render her useless through convoluted means of manipulation, leaving her on edge with the near missed rescues with Sonic. She sighed. Not much had changed since then, asides from her horrid taste in fashion, and perhaps the weighted guilt of her heart.

Amy had woken up, staring at the iron bars with a sleepy glower. A sickly, chemical sweetness coated her tongue, a gross after taste from inhaling the knock-out gas shot in her face. She swallowed back the disgusting savour, her drowsiness faded as she acclimated to her wake, her glare more menacing as her eyes burned through the wrought iron bars that stood between her and her freedom.

There would be no emotionally glitched robot here to free her from imprisonment.

The thought materialized in her melancholy state, and she wondered what he would think of all this, E-102 Gamma. Of her. Her actions. Shadow. She was chafed for his input. Gamma had always been wise, in his own numerical ways. While emotionally naive, Gamma's reasoning endured a logicality. _Logical_, yes, yes he was. Destructively so.

Amy's heart ached at the thought of him.

It was this place, she supposed. It delved into her conscious, rummaging through unwanted, detrimental memories.

She closed her eyes, drowning away guilt-ridden thoughts as she listened to the hum of the engine, erasing away the deep, robotic chop of the said robot. She let the green leaded light fade away in the darkened ignorance of her mind, only for them to glow brighter through the rich gloom. They haunted her, as if cursing her at her effort to forget.

Amy chocked back a sob. "Hurry up, Sonic."

* * *

><p>Chapter Four: Choose, Sonic the Hedgehog.<p>

* * *

><p>"That Egg-head, always the sore loser." Sonic said, breathing a content sigh as he stretched out his jagged limbs. The battle with Eggman had given him his daily dose of adrenaline, though left him a little twisted at the joints. He'd have to remember to stretch next time before embarking in another combatant feud with the Doctor. "Well, I'm starved. Anyone up for a Chilli Dog? Tails?"<p>

Tails ignored him, his hand dug into his leather pouch as he nervously foraged through the bag. Sonic turned to Shadow, although felt somewhat reluctant to do so. After all, he _was_ about to ask if the darker hedgehog was interested in discovering a new found love of Chilli Dogs. Through Sonic's eyes, it wasn't as though implementing a love of Chilli Dogs was laughable per say, but when it came to his rival, the idea did seem inappropriate.

Just as Sonic was about to perceive the thought into the hedgehog, he noticed that he too seemed to be searching for an unknown item. "Guys?"

"Where is Rose?"  
>"I can't find my Emerald." Shadow and Tails chimed simultaneously.<p>

Sonic froze. His victory, he realised, a façade, the un-coincidental inquiries suddenly clicking into place. He groaned, his gloved hand running through his sharpened, azure quills. "I think we've just been duped." he said. Sonic scratched the back of his head, his gaze directed elsewhere. Well, this was embarrassing. Of all people, Sonic, the Doctor's most honourable adversary, should have been able to pick at the oddities of Eggman's behaviour.

Their battle had been rushed to its conclusion. The Doctor usually preferred to take his time in fighting Sonic, so desperate he was to one-up the hedgehog. After all, he _did_ spend a majority of his day cooped up at his base constructing miscellaneous machinery, all created for the sole purpose of crushing Sonic 'once and for all'. In addition to that, the Doctor had been so easily beaten. For a moment, Sonic had pondered the possibility of a strengthening vigour, however this thought was quickly refuted.

"_We?_" Shadow scoffed. "If I recall, _you're_ the one who said you could handle Eggman." He tossed his own emerald. It was thrown into the air before he swiftly caught the jewel, tightening his hold, the grip a second nature to him. "I have to hand it to the Doctor. Only he could null you to such a pathetic degree."

"Way to shoot a hedgehog when he's down." he sighed, a self-assured smile promptly crossing his lips. "Don't worry. I've got this. Eggman does this all the time, steal emeralds, kidnap Amy. You'd think he'd want to change it up a little." He turned to Tails. "Hey Tails, do you still have that emerald detector? If we can track the Chaos Emerald, we can find Eggman."

Tails shook his head regretfully. "It's currently undergoing repairs. I was trying to fix a minor glitch found in the chip, but I ended up frying its whole circuit in the process." He cast him a culpable look, embarrassed by his error. "Sorry Sonic. . ."

"It's alright, Tails." He appeared thoughtful for a moment. "We'll have to split up. Shadow, you go to the Mystic Ruins. Eggman has an underground base up by the mountains, it shouldn't be too hard to find. His face is plastered all over the place." Sonic repressed a shudder. Eggman's trademark grin would forever haunt him in his nightmares.

"Tails and I will ride the Tornado in search of any of Eggman's ships." He turned to Rouge. "And Rouge, you fly through Station Square. Tell us if you find anything."

"You got it, blue."

Shadow sped off in an onyx-amber flash, Rouge following him in a swift flight speed.

As the two departed from the desecrated halls of the Presidential Ballroom, Sonic breezed Tails' way, his lips parted to speak, when he caught the fox's odd, afflictively bitter expression. "Tails? Are you okay?"

Tails shook his head, attempting to shrug off Sonic's worry. "I'm fine. I just. . ." He frowned. "I just have a bad feeling about all this."

* * *

><p>The doors of the prisoners' quarters opened. Amy's blood pulsed in a volatile speed, her eyes boring into the drab flooring of her cell. She could hear the Doctor's approach. There was an unusual lightness in his steps, delicate taps heard echoing in the quiet hum of the room. Strange. Eggman, a heavy set man, usually took weighted, crushingly proud steps towards his destination.<p>

A buoyant hope arose within Amy's consciousness, a thought of her blue hero sparking in her doleful mind. She looked up, finding not―as she expected― the well known egg-shaped figure of the doctor, _nor_ the familiarly relaxed build of her hero. Instead, she was faced with the vaguely familiar figure of the lavender cat, Blaze. She stared at the feline, perceiving emotions of shock and bewilderment. She hadn't expected to see her again, of all places, aboard the Egg Carrier.

"What are you―"

Blaze launched herself forward, towards the bars of her cell, a string of flames surrounding the feline like a balletic ribbon. The flames whipped through the bars, thawing the metal in a sharp, quick speed. The liquefied alloy pooled under her feet. She tipped over the metal mess, levelling herself down to the astounded Amy.

"I witnessed your abduction not far from the Presidential Ball." she explained. "Silver and I followed behind the doctor until we embarked ship upon. . .the Egg Carrier, is it?" She didn't wait for a response. She lit her finger aflame, running through Amy's metal bind. "Silver has gone in search of your friends. I'm sure they must be worried about you"

Amy felt shame creep up her spine, the after-effects of her earlier immaturity caused her to groan internally. As Amy stretched out her stiff joints, the remnants of her metal bind clanging to the floor, she revealed a sheepish look. "I'm sorry," she said. She noted Blaze's blank look. "About earlier. I was rude to you, and that was immature of me."

"It's fine." She glanced at the door. "Let's head off. We don't have much time before your captor realises the intrusion."

"I already have."

* * *

><p>Shadow skated through the Mystic Ruins, his eyes scourging through groves and lush, tenacious plantings as he whipped through the jungle. He found no sign of Eggman and his pink captive, nor any signs of travel through the jungle.<p>

Shadow mentally checked the outer jungles off his list.

After leaving Station Squares train station―a seemingly simple task, albeit a rather difficult one due to the smothering passengers that had found the need to _talk_ to him―he ran through the area's open fields, travelled within the murky caves, and had even attempted to gain access into the ancient ruins, only to receive a stern tongue lashing from the archaeologists excavating the sight.

The archaeologists had assured him they hadn't come across any '_Eggman_', and so with a bitter reluctance and an unsuppressed indignation, Shadow left the sight, trekking up the mountains.

Sure enough, Shadow caught sight of the Doctors painted grin plastered near the entrance of what he assumed was Eggman's base. He entered the unsecured area, noting the powdery dusted view and dim jaunting lighting that flickered every few moments.

He strolled through the base, the metal clack of his soles sounding out the peeving buzz of the lights. His palm rested by his holster as he inspected the centre. Shadow caught sight of a fern green glow gleaming by the crouched corner of the base. He approached the oscillating luminosity with a cautious regard, lowering his defences as he identified the radiance as a dated computer screen.

It projected the image of a sort of track map, red dots scattered across the screen. All dots were stationed, but one. It moved at a speeding rate near the Mystic Ruins. _The Doctor's ship?_, he mused.

Shadow's handheld transceiver cracked with a staticy, signalling process before Rouge's voice was heard amongst the noise. "Shadow? Shadow!" she shrieked. Shadow raised a brow at her tone. Never had he heard the bat sound so intently distressed.

He was quick to answer. "Rouge?" When he received no word, he tried again. "Rouge, what is it?"

He could sense Rouge silently cursing to herself, attempting to speak, but Shadow could only pick up words such as 'the Egg Carrier' and 'Amy' before she finally ordered, "Run!"

* * *

><p>It was the first time Amy thought the Doctor as truly evil. Not to say that before this moment, Eggman had once been a kind, saintly type of man. He'd blown up half the moon, for goodness sake! The luminous sphere now baring a permanent, sinister shaped grin.<p>

Not only that, but for more than one occasion, the Doctor had placed the Earth's existence at risk for oblivion, and was infamous for abducting Amy, and occasionally Tails. Eggman had even turned Knuckles against her blue hero, though that had more to do with Knuckles being an imbecile than anything else. However, the Doctor had never breached into the blue blurs mind, twisting his moral and inevitable guilt to his own advantage.

Eggman had given him a choice.

Blaze and Amy were stationed into their respective pods. Their stringy limbs hung by chains powered by Eggman's negatively charged aureolin emerald, weakening their abilities into a nothingness, surrounding their area in an antagonistic energy. The floor was opened up beneath the heels of their footwear, a barren, grassy field laid approximately thirty thousand feet below them.

Sonic had attempted to free the two. He'd struck the glass with homing attacks, spin attacks, and light speed attacks. Knuckles and Rouge, both of which had climbed aboard the Egg Carrier once Sonic had confirmed Amy's location, made their own attempts to break through the glass to no avail. Even Tails had endeavoured to free both Amy and Blaze using his advanced, technological skills, only to be bested by the Doctor. Yes, all their ventures had failed with a staggering unsuccess.

"What are we gonna do, Sonic?" Tails whispered, a pleading look evident in his stare.

Eggman barked a laugh. "Yes Sonic, what will you do?"

Sonic clenched his fist, silent.

There was no witty comebacks, no signature smirk that never failed to assure Amy that everything would end for the better. Only a cold, deafening silence that leaded Amy's stomach with dread.

The Doctor pulled on a lever, Blaze and Amy's chains lowering a significant amount, the two falling about a foot outside of the ship. Amy screamed and Blaze, the ever stoic feline, couldn't help but release a small yelp of surprise.

"Choose this instance, or they both fall." he ordered.

"I-I can't."

"Five."

"How can you expect me to―"

"Four."

"Darn it, where's that flying hedgehog when you need him."

"Three."

"Stop counting!"

"Two."

Panicked, Sonic dashed for one of the pods.

"One."

Amy fell.

**OoOoOoO**

_"Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."_

**OoOoOoO**


	5. Remembering to Forget

She was falling. Wind whipping through her quills, flapping through her dress, sharp air piercing through her sensitive eardrums, deafening the strident ringing of her ears. Her eyes were wide, hollow, sunken with shock. The appalling truth of Sonic's impending actions numbing her to an insipidness that would have shamed her, had she not felt so explicitly deadened within her core.

Sonic hadn't chosen her. Sonic―

Amy was nearing impact, the cold unforgiving ground drawing closer with her imminent approach. Her eyes were fixed onto the airship, The Egg Carrier taking off at a rapid rate of acceleration, drawing further and further away from her, a looming sense of betrayal stabbing at her chest. Her life flashed before her eyes, or rather, the last moments of her life, her mind recoiling at what had occurred only moments ago.

Sonic's actions festered her heart with wounds only the blue hedgehog could inflict, the scene prior to her fall burned onto her irises. She'd witnessed the slightness in his every movement, her eyes heavily glazed with a desperation transmitted through the glass. And Sonic, she sensed, had received her emotional impartation. He had pivoted towards her, pausing for a fraction of a moment before dashing towards Blaze. _Blaze_. How could he? How could _he_―

All melancholic thoughts ceased when, in a still juncture of silence, Amy heard the sound of a sickening crack, the resonation of impact reverberating, shivering through her body like the plucked string of an instrument. However, before Amy could experience the full impact of her fall, another body collided with her own. She and the unknown being tumbled through the fields. Rain slicked grass and mud matting their furs, staining their clothes, paining them both with their rough descend across the fields.

Amy's tumble halted to a stop. She laid on her back, dazed, a throbbing pain numbing her to a paralysis, every cell in her body searing with hellish agony. She pushed back a nauseating cry, staring up at the seemingly endless, starry night sky. A dull ache throbbed in her chest, her mind elsewhere until a cool, assuaging hand patted against her cheek, Amy wearyingly steadying the hold. She leaned into the touch, the coolness a panacea to her.

"Rose, stay with me." A blunt, edgy eloquence sparked a manifold of memories within her conscious.

"Shadow?" Her eyes fought to meet his crimson eyes through her painfully bleary gaze, when they locked, Amy beaming a grin that did not suit her features. It was faint yet tender, differing greatly from her usual coy, flirtatious grins. Her eyes that usually sparked with resolution were dimmed to a tranquil, yet achingly longing stare as they discerned the hedgehog's demeanour.

"You're wearing clothes," she giggled. "They don't suit you."

Shadow paused, hesitantly calling her name. "Rose?"

She frowned. "I thought you hated conforming to human norms, 'too bothersome', you said." Amy smiled gingerly, comforted by Shadow's hold, though unsure as to why he held her. "Grandpa would laugh at your appearance." she remarked bluntly.

Shadow visibly stiffened, eyes widened, face slackened with shock.

"Forgive me, that was rude of me to say." She appeared panicked. "Please, don't go! I don't want to be left alone. You promised me you'd stay with me until I got better." She gripped his hand. "You promised."

* * *

><p>Chapter Five: Remembering to Forget<p>

* * *

><p><em>Beep<em>.

She stared at the onyx, anthropomorphic hedgehog.

_Beep_.

"It's nice to meet you, Shadow the Hedgehog."

_Beep_.

She flipped through the pages of her textbook, eyes eager to observe the diverse atmosphere of the enigmatic, blue planet.

_Beep_.

"I want to see it."

_Beep_.

Shadow pulled her through the long, complicated halls of the ARK, red emergency lights flashing, sirens blaring. "Maria, we have to hurry!"

_Beep_.

The rifle was pointed at her, the officer shouting orders. "Take your hand away from the lever!" The GUN agent barked.

_Beep_.

She pulled it.

_Beep_.

_Bang_.

Amy gasped to a wake, her eyes forced open to the blinding, fluorescent lighting of the ceiling. She squinted against the brightness, turning her head away to the side of her pillow, observing her surroundings as her eyes slowly, but surely adjusted to the brightness of the room.

She sat up, wincing as she rose from her position, her eyes coming into sight of her legs, both heavily wrapped in plaster. Her head was woozy from medication, morphine, to numb the pain of her broken legs.

An irritable dotting noise had awoken her from her deep, iceberg slumber. She drew her attention to the heart monitor, half-awake, fixating herself onto the machine. She watched as the parallel, mechanical green line jumped with every palpation, hypnotizing her.

And in the midst of her entrancement, everything suddenly clicked into place.

Maria and Amy. Amy and Maria. The two separate beings were connected deeper than anyone could have imagined, _soulfully_ connected.

Amy blinked, unsure how to take the news. She felt a bile of panic rise up her throat, the heart monitor picking up on her increasingly perturbed heart-rate, yet somewhere deep within her being, a warm, calming serenity thawed a cold, undermining curiosity she'd never known existed.

Amy could recall every significant event in the young Maria Robotnik's life, her limited, yet deeply profound relationships carrying itself over to her next life, Amy's life.

"Ma. . .ri. . .a Ro. . .botnik." She sounded out the un-familiarly familiar name, the combination of characters foreign on her tongue.

She supposed she held a slight admiration for the girl. Maria, the sneaky little thing, had seen more than her young eyes were permitted to see, aware of every deep dark secret of the ARK, her grandfather's unstable, fragile control on his persona―

The door to her compact room opened, and in came the greying, permanently sour faced Commander. His multicoloured irises bore into Amy's disdainfully. His pressed, avocado green command suit clinging onto him like a second skin. Seeing him in such attire unnerved her. The Commander, he was so very different from the young boy, Abraham, the only child asides from Maria to live aboard the ARK.

Yes, Amy, or should we say, Maria(she was still not accustomed to this new-found, separate, identity) now recognized the man. Maria had stood as a sort of sisterly figure to the once young Commander. His callowness driving her up the walls at times. She adored him, yet bore a tainting dislike for the boy, envious of his health, and often loathing him for his childish ignorance.

"You're very lucky to be alive, Ms. Rose," he said, biting back an underlying irritation itching under his skin. "However, the GUN Command Centre does not serve to care for your needs."

"That's enough, Commander." Shadow entered through the door way, shooting him a warning glance.

The Commander returned the glare with a level look, his eyebrows raising ever so slightly as if to say, 'You owe me'.

Once the Commander had left, muttering un-pleasantries under his breath, Shadow closed the door, his hand lingering by the knob, his stance emitting an air of tension and unease.

It took Amy a moment to comprehend the strange apprehension, the muscle in her shoulders knotting in response. She could only dimly recall the slightly conscious conversation she'd partaken with Shadow. Or had that been Maria? She wasn't sure. It was all so strange. Shadow's posture suggested a close approaching confrontation, but if it was answers he was looking for, she certainly couldn't give them, as Amy was still in the process of understanding this predicament herself.

Before Shadow could be given the chance to speak, Amy cut him off as soon as she caught sight of the slight parting of his lips. "Shadow," she began, rushed and un-eased. "What happened to me―" Her tone faltered as she came to the realization herself.

Eggman. The Egg Carrier. Sonic.

She buried her face in her arms. "Oh my god," She had coveted for a distraction, but nothing so dire that she herself was hindered from progressive thoughts. "Tell me I'm dreaming! Wake me up from this nightmare!" she begged. This had to be a nightmare. Never in her wildest dreams would she be able to conjure up such morbid scenarios, the reminiscence of last night's events making her sick to her stomach.

Shadow regulated her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry."

Something in her snapped just then. She wasn't taking pleasure in Shadow's company. Sonic's polar opposite, Sonic's arch-rival, Sonic's look alike, Sonic's faker. The _faker_.

"You're sorry? _Sorry?_" she almost laughed with a bitter disgust. "You don't understand _anything_. Sonic. . .Sonic chose to let me fall. He chose me over some girl he's known for less than an hour." Her lower lip quivered with the factual truth of the matter, hot tears burning through the whites of her eyes. She quickly wiped at her lids, unable to catch her tears in time, the salted liquid patting her sheets with wetness.

"Oh, Shadow, I'm sorry." she blubbered. "I didn't mean to take it out on you. It's not your fault."

"It's fine," he assured her, though she could sense his discomfort. There was a restlessness shifting through his joints. Whatever thoughts of affirmation he had when entering the room had dispelled with weariness at his feeble attempts at comfort. But Amy had seen the look in his eyes. A guarded hope at inexplicit possibilities, flecks of fear, and a raw expression of care, reserved for only Maria, contorting his features.

A second look confirmed a seeding doubt blooming within. As Amy chocked back sobs, utterly in ruins from heartbreak, Shadow couldn't help but think how different she was from Maria, cursorily pushing back the thought as pricks of worry formed for the amaranthanly pink hedgehog.

Amy breathed a fatigued sigh, calmed from her tear session. "Thank you,"

"For?"

"Saving me," she said, cautious with her choice of words. She was treading on dangerous ground. Her actions from last night's events were far from forgotten, however Amy Rose was not one to let thanks get by her, gratefulness spoken whenever the chance awakened itself. "I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for you." Shame once again searing her skin a rich scarlet red. She clenched her fists, reprimanding herself for practically _telling off_ her saviour. What was wrong with her?

Shadow crossed his arms, his gaze directed elsewhere. "I told your friends they could see you once you regained consciousness. Shall I inform them?"

Amy chewed on her lower lip. Informing the others meant informing Sonic as well. She didn't have the strength to face him right now. She could foresee their eventual conflict. Sonic entering the room with an apologetic grin, or perhaps baring the look of a doe-eyed deer in headlights, whatever the look, Amy knew his appearance would set her off in some way.

She would scorn him with her burning rage, inflated at his betrayal. Sonic would drink up her mania, up to a certain point, of course. After a moment's hesitation he'd speak words against her, seemingly light and meaningless to him, but inflicting great emotional scars on her. As most of their fights would carry out, Amy would rebut with something―anything to bruise his ego, a mutual fight carrying out from there. Reaching their boiling points, both hedgehogs would stalk off, neither one of them speaking to each other for days on end.

In the end, their disputes would cease, Amy chasing after Sonic as normal, all being forgiven. It was the most logical outcome for a large portion of their disputes.

But this wouldn't be like most fights, that much was clear.

She sighed. "Not right now, I just. . .I need time to think to myself." There was quite a bit of thinking that had to be adequately, most cautiously thought out.

Shadow got the message, turning for the door until Amy called out to him.

"Shadow!" His name abruptly formed on her lips, her arm unconsciously reaching out towards him.

"Yes?"

"Maybe you could show me around. . .later?"

He gave her that _look_ again. A frown pressed with suspicion, as if her words bore diminutive truth, but the look vanished at the appearance of an approving smirk. "Alright, but we'll have to be careful to avoid the Commanders line of sight."

* * *

><p>Three days later, the Doctors of the GUN Headquarters' Health station granted her access of mobility. They'd masked their astonishment at the speed of the hedgehog species regenerative process, constructing leg braces for Amy to carry through with manoeuvring through the long stretch of halls of the government base.<p>

The days prior to her mobility grant, Amy was bedridden with only her thoughts to keep her company. Welcome, they were, however haunting.

Once, fifty long years ago, Amy's soul had resided in the frail body of the young Maria Robotnik. The girl had possessed dreams that extended far beyond her reach. Hope in achieving those dreams faltering countless times over, but never dispersing.

In a way, her dreams had come true thirty-eight years later, with the birth of Amy Rose. She was everything Maria wanted to be: Healthy, strong and energetic, yet it was so much more than that.

Maria and Amy were connected, however there was a point that must be understood; Amy was not Maria and Maria was not Amy. That much was true. When Amy had come to the conclusion, she decided that there was no need for the truth, of long past events, to come out of the open.

True, there were many things Maria would have liked to have said to the once naive Shadow, the young Abraham, and even toddler Eggman, but Maria had long since passed. There was no need for her life to interconnect into Amy's. Maria may have still lived in the hearts of those close to her, but she didn't live in Amy Rose's.

Besides, she thought, even if she did reveal Maria's past, she doubted anyone would believe her.

So she bit back her blistering guilt, concluding that she, Amy Rose, would carry on with life as normal.

As promised, Shadow had given her a tour of the GUN Command Centre, though it had been brief as his words cuttingly short. There were many restricted areas of the government base she would be arrested for trespassing. It had only been with Shadow's approval that she was even allowed to explore the very halls of the government agency. It hadn't taken Amy long to realise what Shadow had done for her. Few hospitals recognized medical practise for anthropomorphic beings, the health station of GUN Headquarters being one of those few.

Her heart ached with indebted gratitude.

At one point, Shadow had strayed off the right path, embracing the ways of evil-doers, but there were few that Amy considered the epitome of kind, Shadow honourably holding the title as one of those few. Amy couldn't help but latch on to him, emotionally of course, her self-pledge of avoidance long since forgotten.

Shadow and Amy found themselves outside GUN Headquarters, the morning air wonderfully refreshing after spending the last couple of days coped up in her room. She clacked behind the jet black hedgehog, still not accommodated to manoeuvring her way around with braces, her crutches mismatched against her steps. _Well_, she thought, _practise makes perfect_.

Not even a moment after the thought had passed, her crutch managed to slip from her underarm, falling in the path of her foot. After a moment of panic, she subsequently tripped over her crutch, falling face flat into the ground.

She heard Shadow sigh. She lifted her head, her eyes singeing with tears from the fall, seeing that Shadow had lowered down to her level, offering a hand of assistance. She smiled, wincing as her face contorted to an unattractive grimace. "Thanks," she said, taking his hand. As she wobbled up to a stand, she heard her name called from afar.

"Amy?"

She turned to her caller. Cream. She held a bouquet, a dainty display of lilies. Beside her there stood Sonic, hunched and grim faced with a white hedgehog trailing not far behind.

Darn.

She wanted to run away.


	6. Elusive Confrontations

Amy took a firm hold of her crutches; the ever present desire to run surging strongly through her system with every step Cream, the ivory-furred hedgehog and _Sonic_ took towards her. Efforts to dash were futile, of course. There was no way Amy could ever out-run Sonic's break neck speed. He was the fastest thing alive, the famously nick-named blue-blur. But by the looks of him: creased brow, rigid posture, wary, grass green eyes (Amy had caught the flecks of fear reflected within them), it didn't look like he'd come chasing after her if she dashed off at this very moment.

Amy had memorized every shift in his expression, the crinkle of his eyes, the upturns of his nose, the curving of his lips, both frowns and grins alike. In the many years she'd known Sonic the Hedgehog, she had been faced with a multitude of expressions, some she thought, lacking tender more endearing contorts of expression when faced her way, but fear had never been one of them. A raw fear expressed with the sure fire signs of the coursing emotion: the hostility, the tension stiffing his joints, his braced jaw.

The strain of their unspoken confrontation agitated him, filling him to the brim with terror. She snorted at the thought. What reasons could the hedgehog conjure up to justify his fears? He hadn't been the one chosen over a stranger, the one left for dead, doomed to fall thousands of feet from the lofted Egg Carrier.

It was infuriating, the mutual trepidation for the inevitable. At least Amy masked a calm face. Her stance was normal enough, still with a faux amiability, though a small tremble circuited her nerves, her crutch shifting with the slight movement, resulting in the heel of her crutch sounding a minimal crunch against the gravel. Her eyes hadn't wandered; she hadn't let them, keeping them fastened onto her approaching guests. She bit on her tongue purposely, not trusting herself to speak pleasantries.

"Amy Rose?" The amber-eyed hedgehog stepped towards her, cutting her view of her dejected beloved.

She'd blinked, as if just noticing the presence of the stranger. He stretched out a thin, ivory arm, offering her a hand for Amy to shake. "Despite the criticisms, it's nice to meet you. I'm Silver the Hedgehog."

* * *

><p>Chapter Six: Elusive Confrontations<p>

* * *

><p>Amy peered at the hedgehog's gloved hand, her eyes tracing over the teal patterns radiating with a cool luminosity before she clumsily offered her own hand, loosening the grip of her crutch as it slipped once more, toppling onto the ground.<p>

"_Oops,_" He smiled sheepishly, his muzzled tinged pink with embarrassment. "Allow me." He crouched over, giving Amy enough time to flicker her eyes over to Sonic. Their gazes locked, an ever growing apprehension emanating between the stare.

A chafed, disquiet atmosphere plumbed like a thick smoke, suffocating those within its close proximity. Cream clutched onto her bouquet, unaware that her tight grapple of the lilies dwindled on the delicate ivory display.

Cream discerned her friend with her full, virtuous brown eyes, one of the few who could see through her placid visage, adept in reading through the visionary manual in all that was Amy Rose. Unbeknownst to Amy, she had long since perceived the sheer depth in her feelings for Sonic, also aware of the amaranth hedgehog's profound outlook on life, broader than she would let on.

And she knew a bitter anguish stirred behind her cool exterior. The unfortunate criticisms that had occurred aboard the Egg Carrier shook her within.

Her crutch was bolstered back under her arm, Silver's abashing disposition contorting to that of a grim tenor. "I think it's time we spoke about the _event_ that occurred on the Eggman's ship." He raised a brow, observant in the manner his words affected Amy Rose, watching as she'd violently flinched in response. _Soft spot, then,_ he confirmed. As promised, he would be gentle.

Crimson eyes perceived the atmosphere of undisclosed antagonism coveting for release—_if_ opportunity presented itself. "Should I leave?" Shadow murmured low enough for Amy's ears only. He was met with jaded horror; eyes wide and pleading, an unspoken beseech for his welcomed presence wordlessly transmitted through to him.

It felt like battle as the group of anthropomorphic beings treaded through the grass of the recreational park located on the outskirts of GUN Headquarters. They were sat at a small picnic bench that stood under the shade of a large, well-aged willow tree. The long rope like leaves swayed under the gentle breeze of the approaching summer air, the sun tingling exposed skin with a tender warmth.

The atmosphere might have brought a calm, natural tranquility to the group had it not been long since nullified by the tautness stemming between Sonic and Amy.

Sonic was sat beside Silver on one side of the bench, Amy, Shadow and Cream sat on the other.

Silver was first to break the edged silence, clearing his throat. "Please, allow me to express my sorrows for your injuries, it's quite . . . unfortunate."

Amy's brows furrowed at his tone. Silver spoke in a formal manner, sounding more and more uptight as time wore on. The eloquence of his words was mismatched with the voicing of his young, boyish tone. It was as if he was in the midst of adapting to a shift to higher lifestyle, or was using his pretensions as a sort of tactic in avoiding consequence.

"Thanks, I guess." she muttered.

The silence returned with an unwelcomed visit, stretching into yet another discomforting quiet. The stifling stillness of the air formulated with an agonising discomfort in her legs, the need to itch the skin under the plaster of her braced casts overcame her with a swelter of embarrassment as she simultaneously supressed the desire to seize her crutches and hobble far, far away.

She remained in place, however strong was her desire to evade confrontation. She had already dragged Shadow into this and Cream, hunched over her seat, played as her silent cheerleader, rooting for her from the sidelines. She would get this over with, _anything_ to rid Sonic of his expression, his face of the dithering worry that shifted to the onus guilt that seemed to tear him within.

"I must apologize in regards to the princess, as she could not attend this meeting. She's prideful, you see, often relying on her strengths to pull her out of most predicaments." He smiled fondly at the thought of the aloof princess. "In truth, she's too embarrassed to face you, regretting that she could not save you."

Amy nodded ghostly, stilling as a look of confusion passed through her features. "Wait—who are you talking about?"

"Oh, excuse me. I suppose you've only known her as 'Blaze'. She's princess and sole heir to the kingdom of the Sol dimension."

_A princess, huh_. The news of the lavender feline's royal status hadn't fazed her. Her elegant posture and imperturbable, hintingly cavalier air had already suggested her royal background.

"I'm sure you understand Blaze is an important figure to not only the Sol dimension but to this world as well."

Amy felt the tip of her ear twitch in unease. "I'm sure she is."

Silver beamed widely, accepting the answer. "Then I'm sure you understand Sonic's reasoning, him choosing Blaze over you."

The words came as a slap to the face, a flush of heat tainting her muzzle scarlet. She was cut short of breath as her mind whirled loathingly with impairing thoughts. Was that all there was to it? Amy had taken one for the team, dimension—_whatever_, simply for priorities sake? Did her personal connection to Sonic even hold a candle next to the importance of Blaze's royal status?

Sonic slapped a hand over his forehead; eyes shut tight, exhausting a long, drawn out sigh. That was in _no_ way delivered gently. His shoulders sagged in fatigue. He was hours behind on sleep. Liable for his actions, remorse had kept him up at night, feeding on his insides until he was nothing but a shell of stigma running aimlessly through the wind.

He had never been faced with such an important decision before. Sure, the world had been thrown into chaos on numerous occasions, but there had been no serious decision making required. He was either going to save the world, or he wasn't. Simple. But Eggman had really outdone himself, forcing him to choose between Blaze and Amy like that. He had mocked the Doctor for his tediously monotonous routine, his words stabbing him in the back twice over.

Contrary to popular belief, Sonic was, in fact, fond of Amy. He cherished her, not in the way his number one fan had hoped, but a care had developed nonetheless, and despite the unforeseeable consequences aboard the Doctor's ship, at the moment of dire circumstance—exercising his choosing: Blaze _or_ Amy—that care hadn't faltered.

Sonic would never wish for such a fate to befall the younger hedgehog. He wouldn't denounce the instances where Amy brought him to his wits end, wishing she'd just _disappear_; however Sonic would never conjure scenarios of the worst in his moments of rage. Still, Sonic had found himself gyrating towards the pod that guarded the lavender princess, turning his back to Amy when she had needed him most, at a juncture when he was essential—vital for her survival. But Blaze had also been in need of rescue, however reluctant she was to admit it.

There was nothing about her that had swayed him to the decision. He'd been charmed by the remarkably placid princess, not unusual with his occasional flirtations. And he had been temporarily besotted, he wouldn't deny the fact, but had felt nothing so powerful that had oscillated his morals. Neither her possessing beauty nor royal status had stirred him towards the final result of Eggman's foils. Perhaps he—

"Amy. . ." Sonic trailed wearily, watching as she helplessly reached for her crutches.

"Sonic, it's okay, I get it." She swayed up to a stand. "I'm just less of a priority to you."

Sonic trudged his way over to her, valiantly meeting her eyes. "Amy, look I. . ." he paused hesitantly, attempting to find the words to justify himself, inaudibly grateful when Amy interrupted him.

A soft luminosity brightened her jade eyes, a rare look of lax acceptance for Sonic and all his eccentricities to the small quirks of his own personal nature. The look surfaced oddly, forming at a time when the atmosphere still bore its stringing tension; nevertheless, it was a good sign in his current situation.

"It's not your fault Sonic. It's just like Silver said: unfortunate criticisms." She huffed, almost amusingly. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a busy day ahead of me, first day on crutches and all."

"Amy,"

She walked on, not once looking back as she retreated to the fields, Sonic's lingering stare stiffening her movement, urging her to turn the other way round. Her crutches weighted with every step she took, an obscure sort of angst knotting her nerves, her legs scalding with the unwelcomely acquainted pain of her fall, her mind forcibly blanched of all thoughts.

She focused on the warmth of sun rays blanketing her skin, the soft wind that breezed through her quills, the blades of grass that seemed to cut painfully through her casts. The blades of grass: its shape, colour and texture similar to the fields of the Mystic Ruins, where she had painfully tumbled through, staining the area with her crimson fluids.

The breeze picked up in velocity, a sudden rush of wind whipping through her fur. She shuddered at the reminiscence of the deadly feel. The thoughts she tried so hard to push back began to trickle in through the vulnerability of her currently fickle mind, her bruised—battered heart unable to take another scathe let alone beating.

"Rose?"

All thoughts ceased at the sound of the methodic tone, unaware of the Ultimate Life Form's trail behind her.

Positioning her crutches carefully, she spiraled her way around successfully facing Shadow with only a slight wobble of her crutch. "Sorry, Shadow. I shouldn't have dragged you into this." she sighed. "But thanks for everything. I really do appreciate it."

A pause.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, a sly smile crossed her lips. "You really are a bit of a softy, aren't you? _Caring_ for me."

Shadow fought the urge to roll his eyes, crossing his arms as he sauntered by her side, walking in an agonizingly slow pace to match her speed.

"I'm not as heartless as most would lead you to believe."

The answer caught her momentarily off guard; she hadn't expected a response to her cheeky remark, but she smiled graciously. "I know," she nodded prudently, and then softly repeated, "I know."

They reached the concrete stairs, the entrance of GUN Headquarters, the steps illusionary stretched out for miles. The plastered heels of her feet tingled with the desire to conquer those steps, refuting Shadow's suggestion in taking the back entry way, wanting to adjust to the crutched lag of her walk.

So she ventured up the flight of steps, abiding by small, ginger paces up the concrete. It was tediously slow and time consuming. She considered sending Shadow off, guilty for taking up his time, but he waited patiently assuring her there was no rush.

But it was sometime during the thirty-third—or had it been the thirty-fourth?—step, exhaustion inaugurated its weight, the hoisting of her foot, feeble and sluggish, wasn't enough to ascend up to the following step, and so she subsequently tripped over its edge, toppling over the incline of stairs, defeated.

"…Are you alright?"

Amy was to voice her simple yet planned response of 'Oh I'm fine. Just a little trip. Clumsy me!' but she croaked a different answer, disconcerting the both of them.

"It's not his fault."

The loathing silence she thought eluded her returned once more, the apprehension of the quiet thankfully short as Shadow responded, uttering the name that twisted her heart with a strange mixture of glee and turmoil. "Sonic?"

"I can't … I just can't make him out to be the bad guy, as much as I want him to be." He'd already looked so torn and sorrowful for his actions aboard Eggman's ship. Amy's conscience wouldn't allow her to beat the tragic hero when he was already beaten, to spiral him into a villain, a title most certainly undeserved.

"It's his unwavering moral and integrity, I suppose."

"I'm glad you agree."

A hesitant pause.

"But it still hurts, the fact that he chose Blaze over me." She clenched her fist against the edge of the step, her desperately repressed memory resurfacing reluctantly. Her fall was like a broken tape, it repeated endlessly in her mind.

She just didn't understand! Had his patience wore thin? Had his annoyance for Amy reach the end of its line? Sonic, a rejecter of authority wasn't one to be so easily swayed by the charismatic allure of a royal title. Had Sonic seen something far beyond the golden eyes of the lavender princess, in the mere hour that he'd known her?

"Either way, I don't think anyone would have been happy with the results of Eggman's diabolical plan." The clench of her fist tightened. "But that doesn't give them the right . . . they had no right to make my suffering less relevant just because I was less important." The nerve of that hedgehog.

"Rose?" Shadow called slowly, sensing her unease.

A flush of anguish voided through her insides, setting into her stomach. Her throat clamped, her bleary sight returning once more. And she tried—oh god, she tried to blink her tears away, to swallow back her gradually thickening throat, to suppress emotions that threatened to spill, seeping through her very pores, but the tears had fallen, the choked sob sounded and the melancholic reaction carried through.

It wasn't just Sonic—well he had been a large part of it, he had been her breaking point—it was everything! Gamma, her first and only robotic friend, the very first _person_ she had regretfully reached out to, the suppression of her personality, the shallow undertones apparent in her character, her hopeless infatuation with Sonic, the tearing guilt that had eaten her inside out, and even her blame, her self-approached repentance over Shadow 'death'.

Amy was beginning to empathize with Shadow. She showed him the worst parts of herself, aspects to her character that she herself would rather not accost to. She desired consolation from the hedgehog when comfort clearly wasn't his area of expertise. And so she had tearfully—who was she kidding, she was a blubbery mess—confessed everything to him.

Well, not _everything_. There were things she would not admit even in her flimsy state of mind, but as she confided in Shadow a strange calm, a sort of weight lifted from her chest, cooling her bubbling emotions as she reversed back into a stable state of being.

And that's when the embarrassment settled in.

She had revealed everything to Shadow, her insecurities, her guilt, things she herself would not affirm to being truth. She could only imagine the look on his face, pondering the expression that currently dominated his features. Was it a look of vile contempt, or plain indifference to it all? The curiosity bit at her, but Amy refused to give into temptation, even if her muscles disagreed with her course of action.

"Rose, look at me."

She was plenty fascinated with the steps, thanks. Amy somehow found the gall to voice the thought.

"Amy."

She tensed. Shadow had binned the friendly use of her surname, his tone suggesting an impending consequence for her disobedience. So she shifted, sitting upright. Her elbows rested on the sunk of her knees, her chin situated over her clasped fingers. Her gaze had been directed ahead, only peering at the ebony hedgehog with an inexplicit surge of courage. To guarded bewilderment, she found Shadow hadn't worn a face of contempt nor vile disgust for her actions. He embodied guilt; one that seemed to mask her own.

"Oh, Amy. . .how could you ever think . . ." He trailed off with an arduous sigh. "I have something I'd like to confess."


	7. A Change of Heart

The moment he'd uttered the sentence an uncharacteristic look of panic flashed in his usually stern gaze, sparking Amy's curiosity. Hesitant, her lips parted, about to inquire to his confession when a shadow loomed over the pair, the large intimidating figure of the Commander obstructing their light, chilling what little fervor in the atmosphere.

His eyes rolled in Amy's direction, almost considering, until his gaze promptly fixed back onto the onyx hedgehog, his frame tense. "Shadow, you're needed." A pause. "Now."

"I'll be right there." he said coolly. He and the Commander shared a look, the Commander first to tear his gaze away as he spiraled for the steps, jogging back up the incline of stairs.

He sprinted out of ear shot, Shadow curtly flickering his gaze towards her. "Look, Rose. Don't let undeserved guilt consume you. What I did that day had nothing to do with you. I went out understanding the risks."

"But—"

He cut her off. "I _knew_ what would be the most probable outcome of my facing The Final Hazard. The ending result was the consequence of my lacking strength. Do you understand?"

When Amy didn't respond, he sighed, mounting upright. "I'll send someone to get you."

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven: A Change of Heart<p>

* * *

><p>The weeks steadily past, spring transitioning into the summer months. The sweltering, humid weather of Station Square made its citizens more irritable than normal, but engulfed Amy in pure bliss. It had been an interesting two months—well, month and twenty-two days. Amy was freed of her spruce crutches, the limb shaped canes abandoned in halls of her apartment.<p>

She and Blaze had been more amiably acquainted over the passing weeks. The princess had gotten a hold of her location, visiting her a few days after her release.

Amy could still vividly recall the feline's rigidly stiffened posture as she stood in her doorway, un-camouflaged mortification muddling her amber eyes, a sour expression twisting her features disarray. And with a throw of her pride, Blaze had profusely apologized for her failed rescue aboard the Egg Carrier and of course for Silver's rudeness.

Blaze had even formed a sort of friendship with Cream. Strange considering their antithetical personalities, but they somehow made it work, both giving a little of each to their slowly growing bond. Amy was a little envious of it. Such a relationship had never worked well between her and Sonic.

Amy's relationship with Sonic was. . .different. Distant. There was a corrosive bitterness, similar to that of battery acid lingering in the slicks of her tongue. It wasn't that she was angry, the bitterness the result of the unresolved—undeveloped conflict of the past resulting in flicks of awkwardness embittering their surroundings.

Amy promised she would approach the subject sometime in the near future, but for now the subject laid within the confines of her mental shelf, the impermissibles, as she called it, adoring such other subjects such as her current Maria incarnate issue, or her general twists of agitated guilt.

However, the guilt she had epitomized over the passing months seemed to diminish by the day. This resulted in a lightness in her joints, allaying the long embodied tension stiffing them. There was a bounce in her steps, confidence broidered in her every action, and it was all unfamiliarly uplifting. A genuine cheer had broken through her farce one, blanketing her with a sort of warmth that tugged her lips up to a small, somewhat taut smile.

But there were, of course, the nights where she twisted and turned, tangled in her sheets, the bed covers a constraint to her. Her chest would compress, every breath she took would heft her lungs with a leaded weight. Her residual guilt would slick around her heart, clutching the emotionally battered organ with a mournful clasp, cursing her for living life idyllically.

But those were her off days.

Her days of euphoria arose with the removal of her heavily weighted casts. The braces were unclipped, her casts sawed through, opened up to manifest weakened legs.

Amy had scantly tamed the power of hedgehog velocity, near non-existent in her case, never bothering to cultivate the ability as her hammer was more suited to combat. Yet she found herself saddened by the doctor's news; losing what menial speed she'd been able to harness, lost as a result of her fall.

But hope wasn't lost. Shadow had offered to assist her in rehabilitating her speed.

"You don't have to," she'd insisted. "I wasn't fast to start with."

The confession seemed to appal him, the emotion masked with a look of indifference.

"I could teach you, if you'd like."

"You really don't have to—"

"Tomorrow. Station Square Park. Seven a.m. sharp."

GUN had enforced strict scheduling onto Shadow, Shadow only able to spare an hour of his time before heading back to base, a metaphorical collar tightened around his neck. Even with GUN's draconian agenda levied onto him, Shadow hadn't been lax on their time, sure to make every minute of their training count. Grateful as she were, Amy couldn't help but wonder if it was her confession that had distressed the crimson streaked hedgehog, more than he'd let on, anyway.

It had been difficult to teach Amy the ways of hedgehog agility. It was, after all, something that came naturally to those that harnessed its speed—it was difficult to explain to those who've never experienced its wind whipping indulgence, and so their daily, periodic training often resulted in Amy's failure. To make matters worse, Shadow was a strict teacher unable to accept her failures.

"This is why the Doctor abducts you so often," he spat. "You're weak."

Amy, unused to such harsh treatment, had requested more lenience from his brutal exercises.

"Go easy on you? Ha! I don't think so."

But it wasn't all bad. As time passed, Amy began to grasp a vague understanding of his words. Phrases like 'Let it come to you', or 'Don't force it' dissolved through their cryptic connotation, eliciting an understanding quiet through the buzzing confusion of her mind. Energy thrummed under her skin, radiating her with warmth and a hyper awareness of her surroundings.

The feeling was surreal. It hadn't come easy to her, the energy eating away at her stamina as she embraced the feeling of supersonic speed. Her joints felt lighter than air. Her blood, sweat and tears mingled into an exertion of her efforts, convulsed at her lowest point of exhaustion, exhausted to an almost primal state of being simply to feel the momentary, undeniable spark of liberty.

She stared at her target, Shadow, standing across the fields, an onyx blur in the distance.

And so she ran.

A vigor burst within. It had been a minimal detonation of energy, but enough to leave her feverish with ardour. The rush of wind was like a drug that left her higher than morphine. So she ran and ran, squeezing every bit of energy she could into her steps.

A single moment had passed before she stood in front of her teacher, gasping for breath, leg muscles pounding painfully, warning against future activity, but the pain dulled in comparison to the sudden swell of elation in her chest as she realized Shadow was inches close of proximity. She practically trembled in excitement. "I-I did it!"

"Well done."

Hands clasped over her knees, she peered up at Shadow who, to her surprise, mirrored her expression of exasperated joy. It synthesised with a pride in her growth mixed in with a pleasant twist of awe.

She was admittedly taken by the sight, unused to such soft, amiable expressions dominating his usually flinty mask. She captured the moment.

Her eyes had lingered longer than necessary.

* * *

><p>Amy pushed through the door of Bakery Vanilla, the chime of the bell drawing Cream away from her daze. She smiled warmly, the curve of her lips lingered with sleep, greeting Amy from behind the register. "Hello, Amy! What brings you here?"<p>

She shrugged. "I thought I'd stop by." Her eyes panned over the display of scrumptious looking pastries presented beautifully behind a glass case. "Got anything new?"

She nodded. "Mom's put up a new item on the menu." She motioned towards a strawberry shortcake, its base consisting of sponge cake, whipped vanilla cream and jam filling layered in-between the sections of confection. The pastry was drizzled over with a rich strawberry sauce, topped off with its large candied fruit.

"Looks good! I'll take one."

"Great. Just give me a moment." She pulled at the knot of her flour powdered apron, throwing the kitchen wear aside as she treaded through the kitchen. Amy idly watched her friend, Cream propping a foot stool under the row of cabinets. She pulled on its handle, opening up to the inside compartment. She was standing on the tips of her toes, arm outstretched for a plate too high from her reach.

"Do you need any help?"

"N-No. I think I've—_Whoa_!" Cream cried out, lurching forward as she slipped off the edge of the stool.

Amy pivoted forward, time's acceleration slowing to a molasses like speed. Cream's large, tawny tinted ears waved through the stagnancy of time as she tipped forward, her large, chocolate brown eyes widened at the impending doom that was to befall her. But time returned back to its chronological structure, Cream plunging into Amy's arms.

Amy steadied her up to a stand, a bewildered expression crossing the rabbit's face. "Huh? Weren't you just—"

Flipping a 'peace' sign, Amy flashed a complacent grin. "Sonic's not the fastest hedgehog in town anymore."

Amy and Cream sat in the small leather cushioned chairs of Vanilla's bakery. She ravaged through her pastry, but was careful to savour every bite as customers began to trickle into the store for the morning rush, Vanilla managing her customers with cordial hospitality, and in-between forkfuls, Amy had told her younger friend about her endeavours in flourishing her speed with Shadow as her teacher.

"That's great, Amy! It's good to see you're doing well after. . .you know."

"Yeah, well I can't get hung over it forever. Besides," she continued with a playful roll of her eyes. "I know how you worry."

Much to her dismay, Cream reached over for a forkful of her shortcake. "Hey! I paid for that." she snapped, but Cream only smiled at her annoyance, sounding an approving hum at her mother's latest culinary creation.

Her smile was quick to dispel, a thought contorting her features with concern. "So, how are things with Mr. Sonic?" Cream, reanalysing Amy's tale, had noted the vague—no—complete void of mention of the blue blur. A very strange, very rare occurrence in their more conventional discussions.

"Things are _okay_, I guess. . ." she trailed off stigmatically. She had hoped Sonic wouldn't surface in their conversation, she'd practically prayed for it. In retrospect, Amy should have realized the gall lunacy of the thought. Amy, forlorn in her love for Sonic, practically spasmed at the mere mention of his name. But Sonic wasn't _exactly_ a sensitive issue any more, Amy had moved past that, still, she found no joy in her acknowledging him. "I mean, I haven't exactly _talked_ to him since our last meeting."

She cocked her head. "Your last meeting?"

"You know, with you me and Shadow."

"That was two months ago!"

"Technically, one month and twenty three days," she argued feebly. "Besides, it's not like I can just meet with him whenever I want. He's a hero, remember? He's needed in plenty of other places besides Station Square." Did she have to mention the Little Planet, Angel Island, or—dare she say it—Sonic's little story book adventure, the dimension in which Sonic so ardently defends his saving of the world? She was less dogged to use the latter example, as she was skeptical of the story herself, it certainly wouldn't have been the first time Sonic made up excuses in his ditching her, but anything to strengthen her argument.

Cream crossed her arms. "And since _when_ has that stopped you before?"

Oh, god. She was giving her _that_ look. It was an acute—yet endearing and adorable—glare dueted with thinned lips arched to a frown, signalling her message of 'you should know better, Amy'. It was then, of course, Amy caught the lace of disappointment sown in her features. It wasn't exactly a rare look (which probably said a lot about their relationship) but it never failed to couch her with shame.

The look was quick to expunge, fading away to divulge an empathic look creasing her brows, her glassy eyes descrying her demeanour. "Oh Amy,"

Amy blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift of mood. "Cream? What's wro—"

"I know it must be hard to face Mr. Sonic after what happened, I really do, but that doesn't mean—" She turned away.

"Cream?"

"That doesn't mean you should use Mr. Shadow as his replacement."

"I—_what_?" Where had she gotten _that_ idea? "No—Cream, _no_!" she cried over her cynic look.

"I would never. . ." She attempted to revive the continuity of her inept argument, but Cream's incredulous glare rose on her nerves, her tongue stumbling awkwardly though poorly sounded, fumbled words.

"_Look_," she hissed. "I may have mistaken Shadow for Sonic _once_, but that doesn't mean I'm deluding myself."

Cream deflated at her statement. "But—"

"No!" she cut in, sliding her plate towards her. She had lost her appetite. "Shadow is just a friend. A good one at that. He's _nothing_ like Sonic. Just because I'm hanging out with him and not with Sonic does _not_ mean I'm using him as a _replacement_." She spat the word as if it bore the most vile, disgusting connotation behind its simple lettering.

She stood up, her chair grating against the floor with a shrill cry.

Without a word of goodbye, she left the store, ignoring the pointed stares of the other customers.

* * *

><p>Amy gobbled on her excessively salted potato wedges, swallowing the half chewed mush with superfluous guzzles of her cola. <em>Awful, disgusting, gross! Who actually eats this stuff?<em>, she thought as she took an incriminating bite of her cheese burger. Amy had never been one to eat her sorrows away, but flares of scorching acrimony had always been something else altogether.

She was sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair, cushioned by a lumpy, unevenly stuffed seat cover.

The scent of grease had drawn her to one of the few burger parlors in Station Square. Shadow, although brusque in his reluctance, guested her on her trip to the parlor. He'd lingered in idle silence, ordering nothing to speak of, an evident revolt apparent in his placid features. He regarded Amy's gluttonous manner with disgust, Amy—unaware or uncaring—resumed her deriding rant.

"Using you as a replacement?" she shook her head, scoffing at Cream's allegation. She had really taken one step forward and two steps back with that statement. "I couldn't believe she said that."

"Hm,"

"I mean, no offence, but you're no Sonic."

"I'll take that as a compliment." he drawled in obvious disinterest.

Amy huffed, miffed at his indifference. "You're supposed to be engaged in my rant."

He crossed his arms, the modicum of annoyance discernable in his stare. "Is this the only reason you've called me out? Surely by now you understand my strict scheduling."

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. It's your lunch break, isn't it? Besides, friends are supposed to help friends in times of need, or in this case, lend an ear. You know, it's when you actually _listen_ to what I have to say?"

He paused, nonplussed at her statement.

"What?"

"I'm your. . ._friend_?"

She flushed, humiliated. Heat torched the surface of her skin, her muzzle blossoming in a striking coral pink. She was hit with simultaneous waves of abasing indignity as she spoke. "Well, yeah, I always thought we were. I mean, I was under the impression—I mean it's totally fine if you don't want to—"

"No—no. It's fine."

"Well. . .great."

There surfaced a silence in their conversation. It felt especially quiet with the discontinuance of Amy's philippic rant. It wasn't awkward, per say, but it wasn't particularly comfortable either. The warmth of their verbally instated friendship eased the kinks in the silence, but it was a nice lull of quiet. Both enveloped in the tingling fervor of the moment, Amy more so, taking hesitant glances at the hedgehog sitting across from her as she flashed brief, timid smiles.

And at that moment, her chest pricked with _something_. It was a moderately painful feeling, in the emotional sense anyway, but not _awful_. It was. . .nice. Nice. . ._nice_, no! It wasn't _just_ nice. It wasn't the word she was looking for, yet it was the only word she found adequate enough to define the _nice_ tension, the _nice_ feeling, the _nice_ moment. No, it was . . .it was—

Familiar.

An image of her cerulean blue hedgehog trickled through her memory banks. He was posed candidly, determined grass green gaze piercing those that met them, a signature smirk lighting his features

It was. . .

A change of heart?


	8. Apologies

I'm sorry, but I just cannot take this story any longer. This has to be one of the most frustrating thing I've ever written. I just can't this story _right_, you know? I've read back on this story to realize that the tone is seriously off. One chapter may flow nicely while the next may be too stiff and wordy. I honestly don't what I was thinking when I started this story, creating it when my school was approaching the busiest time of the year. Stupid me!

Anyway, I think this story will be put on hiatus. Or maybe I delete it and start anew. I don't know yet. I'll have to see in another month or so.

But I've really appreciated the response this story's gotten. Feedback was also immensely appreciated. Thank you.


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